Meditation

Meditation.

Years ago I meditated at 2 o'clock in the afternoon.

 I called it my rest period.

                                  When I started walking in the afternoons I walked at 2 o'clock.

                                                       Now I am walking in the evenings.

I think it is time to get back to my meditation practice.

I have lots of guides.

I have wonderful music.

I want to establish a new way for myself.

I want to have a ritual of meditation.

My sister has her rituals.
She is very established in her Faith based community.

We went to Mass together on Christmas.

I was happy to share in our childhood tradition.

This morning when my husband put on our chants for today

I realized how important nature is for my spirit.

I realized how important my childhood traditions are for me.

I shall blend them.

I shall create my own rituals.

I shall begin again my meditation practice.

Faces

Each morning I am writing and choosing my word for the day.
The word for today is face.

I read that a baby knows love as the face of the Mother.
I wonder if Mother is not loving does the child grow up not knowing love?
My Mother was loving when I was very small. My Mother sang little songs. I remember my Mother's face. I hold a memory of her from when she was in her 30's.

I got up from my morning table and walked about my house.
I began looking at faces.
I looked at photographs from Christmas past.

Each time I saw the face of Santa I smiled and felt so happy.
This photograph is of me on Santa's lap and my older sister, Cindy.
I remember seeing Santa at Macy's downtown. I remember my sister Cindy's face.
I remember her smile. I have her little gray velvet hat hanging in my entry.
She died in 2000. These days I think of her often.

Our Grandson was born with health challanges and was not able to see a public Santa.
For four years my husband was his Santa. For me my husband became Father Christmas.
For me his face is the face of love.

There are a few photographs of me when I was little.
I love looking at my happy little face.
I seem to be filled with wonder and delight.
My daughter suggested I look in the mirror to see the face of love.
Perhaps for her I am her first face of love.

She also suggested I look at the photograph my husbamd took for my artist bio.

She said it was taken with the eyes of love.

I see the world through my eyes of love.

I think I will print this little collage.

I think it will be my first picture in my Healing Journey photo album.

A Healing Journey

I have begun a Healing Journey.

I am writing.

I am using the medicine wheel as my guide.


I faced the east this morning and watched the sunrise.
This is the direction of spirit. This is the direction of hope.


I sat at my morning table.
I am taking this journey with my sister.

She will find her inner healer and I mine.

I have been preparing for this journey.


I bought a new journal and pen.
I bought two lovely candles.

My friend gave me the set of Animal Divine cards.
I have chosen one each day in December.
Today I chose Cernunnos. This is an ancient Father figure. This is an ancient Deity.
We know this ancient god today by the Celtic tradition.

I am learning about how important a loving
Mother and Father are for healing. I am remembering.




I have a cluster of stories.
I remember when I was small.
I remember my Mother and Father.
I remember Christmas past.
My sister and I talked this morning about compassion.
We talked about suffering and fear.
We talked about the gift of grace.

My friend gave me this book.
A place to write my own story.

As I am inspired I am writing.

I am a photographer.

I shall take photographs of my Healing Journey.

I will print them and make an album.

I am a collector.

I shall gather into my boxes the gifts I find on my journey.
For they also tell a story.

My friend painted an Angel for me.

Today my word is hope.

Thank you for coming along on this year long adventure. From now until Spring Equinox I will be investigating the spiritual aspect.

If you also would like to journal and share we would love to share in your healing story.

Today we begin knowing spirit. We will look for spirit's face.

We begin by walking the path of love.

Goodbye August

I walked about the yard.
I said my goodbye to August.

The mums along the back walk are budding.

The pot of mums on the porch
are beginning to bloom.

The Dogwoods are begining to blush.

A Red Spotted Purple came looking for rotting fruit.

A Tawny Emperor dried her wings.


Skipper seem to enjoy each other's company.


This female Cloudless Sulphur

seemed to be looking for a host plant to lay her eggs.


Lady Beetles are keeping the Goldenrod clear of aphids.


Goodbye August.

Hello September.

On the cusp of Autumn

We are on the cusp of Autumn.



The Crab Apples are ripening.

The leaves in the Fire bush are beginning to turn.

The Rose of Sharon are in bloom.

The Red Admiral butterflies are in their second brood.

My neighbor's bushes are full of orange berries.

Their Walnut trees are full of nuts.

Red Spotted Purple butterflies are basking.

The Bronze Fennel is in bloom.

Tiger Swallowtails nectar in the Zinnias.

It looks to be an early Autumn this year.

It is just beginning.

Today is the New Sunflower Moon.

By next New Moon it will be Autumn.

Walking with the macro

I walked about the yard with the macro lens.
It is always a treat to find the small joys of nature.

I like to see the world up close.

It does get personal when the bugs
land on me!

The Day Flower shimmers in the afternoon sunlight.

The macro lens picks up the glitter.

The birds planted sunflowers in the strangest places.

Seeing the Hog Sphinx also called the Virginia Creeper Sphinx

in the ivy was the best treat of all.

I did not need the macro to see this giant!

I did have to look twice as she was so well camouflaged!